Hydraulic railway-track braking skate



Dec- 24, 195 R. H.'TREGONING 2,817,301

HYDRAULIC RAILWAY-TRACK BRAKING SKATE Filed Sept. 14,.1956 2 Sh'eets-Sheet 1 Ill/1 a N v J .INVENTOR. 05627 WWW/VG 477'0KA/EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 b vlwwm lllllv 9llll R. H. TREGONING HYDRAULIC RAILWAY TRACK BRAKING SKATE ,Dec. 24, 1957 Filed Sept. 14, 1956 IN V EN TOR. 7efaa /v/4 ci BY ATTQEA/E VS Unite States 2,817,301. Patented Dec. 24, 1957 HYDRAULIC RAILWAY-TRACK BRAKING SKATE Robert'H. Tregoning, East Haven, Conn. Application September 14, 1956, Serial No. 609,847 4 Claims. (Cl. 104-259) This invention relates generally to braking devices for railway cars and is more particularly concerned with an improved hydraulic railway-track braking skate which is slidingly disposed on a section of railway track in a humping yard, for example, for engagement with the wheel of a .free rolling railway car wherein the movement of the car on a section of track is slowed down to prevent damage due to colliding with another railway car, for example.

The use of track skates for frictionally retarding and stopping a railway car is old, track skates being used primarily inswitch yards where trains are 'made up, for example, and are also used in emergency cases when the brakes of a car being switched have failed and it is necessary to stop the car within a required distance to prevent damage to other cars, for example.

A primary object of invention is to provide a novel railway-track braking skate incorporating a hydraulic brake shoe actuated by wedge means fixedly secured on a sec tion of railway track wherein the wheel of a car engaging the skate will progressively move the same toward the Wedge means which will cause an application of braking force progressively increased in response to the increased travel of the braking skate thus slowing down and stopping the movement of the free rolling railway car.

A further object of invention in conformance with that set forth is to provide in combination with a section of railway track novel wedge means secured thereon for engagement with ahydraulic brake shoe of a railway skate wherein movement of the railway skate along the wedge means results in an application of braking force applied to said wedge means for impeding the progress of a railway car having one of its wheels disposed on the railway skate.

And yet another object of invention in conformance with that set forth is to provide in combination with a section of railway track wedge means and a hydraulic railway-track braking skate which are readily and economically manufactured, easily installed and used, and highly satisfactory, serviceable and practical for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subseqently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation and as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the novel hydraulic railway-track braking skate disposed on a fragmentary portion of a section of railway track, showing a fragmentary portion of wedge means cooperating with said braking skate;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, ona substantially reduced scale, showing the manner in which the braking skate is disposed on a section of railway track, and showing in dotted lines the relative position of an elongated wedge which cooperates with said braking skate;

Figure 4 is a top plan view, on a scale enlarged over 2 Figure 3, showing the elongated wedge in position relative to the web portion of the section of railway track, said web portion being shown by means of dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view looking substantially from line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, on a substantially reduced scale, taken substantially on line 77 of Figure 1, showing the manner in which the relative movement of the brake shoe relative to the body member takes place;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 99 of Figure 8; and

Figure '10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 9 showing the construction of a one-way valve incorporated in the brake skate.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a fragmentary portion of a section of railway track is indicated generallyat 10 said track incorporating the usual base portion 12, web portion 14 and ball portion 16, said ball portion 16 having an upward arcuate crown 18.

In juxtaposition on the outer side 20 of the web portion 14 of the section of track is an elongated wedge assembly indicated generally at 22 and incorporating a tapered body member 24 uniformly tapered in laterally extending relationship from the outer surface of the Web 14, said body member having a forward notched-out portion 26, see Figure 5, having seated thereon a notched end portion 28 of a flattened plate member 30, said plate member 30 incorporating a vertical bore portion, see Figure 6, in alignment with a bore portion in the shoulder portion'26, said bore portions being identified at 32 and 34, respectively, see Figure 6, receiving therein a suitable pivot pin element 36. The plate 30 has extending vertically from the upper edge thereof an integral shaft 38 received in a suitable bore portion 40 formed on the underside of the ball 16 0f the track section. The plate 30 incorporates a pair of vertically spaced aperture portions 42 and 44 receiving therein compression spring elements 46 engageable with the outer surface of the web 14, urge the extreme end portion 47 of the plate 30 into engagement with the outer surface of the web of the track section, this expedient facilitating the movement of the novel hydraulic railway-track braking skate indicated generally at 48 to slidably engage and pass over the wedge 22 as will subsequently be described in detail.

The braking skate 48 incorporates an elongated body member 50 including a solid downwardly opening channel section 52, see Figure 8, for example, the channel portion 54 thereof conforming to the crown of the ball of a rail section, and extending vertically from the upper surface of the channel section 52 is a vertical ramp 56 incorporating a lower arcuate portion 58 and an upper arcuate portion 60, a wheel of a railway car first entering on the arcuate portion 58 and subsequently resting on the upper arcuate portion 60. As the railway car moves downwardly on a section of track, the car being free rolling, a wheel thereof will finally rest on the areaate portion 60 of the track skate whereafter rotation of the wheels will cease and the skate will slide down the track. When utilizing the track skate of the invention, said track skate will normally be disposed approximately twenty feet before the most forward end portion or plate 30 of the wedge assembly 22, and as will subsequently become apparent as the track skate passes along the wedge assembly the hydraulic brake assembly'of the track skate will be actuated for the purpose of slowing down and finally stopping forward movement of a railway car.

The channel member 52 incorporates an integral longitudinally extending laterally disposed housing 62 which said springs tending toincorporates an inner surface portion 64, see Figure 2, juxtaposable on the outer surface of the body member 24 of the wedge assembly 22. Supported on a vertical shaft member 66 is a horizontally pivotal brake shoe 68 including a friction surface 70 engageable with the outer surface of the body member 24 of the wedge assembly, said brake shoe incorporating in one side a laterally extending handle 72 and incorporating in an upper edge portion 74 thereof, see Figure 1, a vertical bore portion receiving a lock pin 76 therein, said lock pin extending through a suitable aperture portion in the upper surface of the housing member. The brake shoe 68 is connected by means of a suitable linkage assembly 78 to a piston rod 80 integral at one end with a piston 82 for a purpose to subsequently be described in detail, However, it is suflicient to say that when the piston rod is moved in the direction indicated by the dotted direction arrow in Figure 7, the brake shoe 68 will be moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7, this position being that in which the skate will be retained in a fixed position on a section of track to subsequently be engaged by the wheel of a railway car.

The housing member 62 is suitably constructed having a hollow interior 84 divided into separate compartments 86 and 88 by means of a transverse partition or wall 90. The wall 90 has extending transversely therethrough a bore portion 92 reciprocably receiving therein the previously mentioned piston 82, the end of the piston 82 which extends toward the compartment 86 incorporates a recess portion therein receiving one end of a coil spring 94, the other end of said coil spring being circumposed about a suitable stub shaft 96 secured on the end wall 98 of the housing 62. Thus when the lock pin 76 is removed from the aperture portion in the upper edge 74 of the brake shoe compression spring 94 will have sufiicient force to urge the brake shoe into the dotted line position shown in Figure 7. The compartments 86 and 88 are filled with a suitable fluid, hydraulic brake fluid, for example, and as the piston 82 moves toward the compartment 88 the fluid in said compartment 88 must be relieved therefrom. Relief of fluid pressure in the compartment 88 is accomplished by means of a bore portion 100 extending through the wall 90, said wall 90, see Figures 9 and 10, incorporating a one-way valve assembly indicated generally at 102 therein which permits the movement of fluid indicated by the direction arrows of Figures 9 and toward the compartment 86, the one-way valve assembly incorporates a spring-urged valve portion 104 which will move outwardly in the direction indicated by the dotted direction arrow in Figure 10, and the fluid moves from compartment 88 to 86.

When the track skate slides along the body member 24 of the wedge assembly 22, the brake shoe 68 being disposed in the dotted line position seen in Figure 7, engagement with the wedging portion of the body member 24 tends to rotate the brake shoe in the direction indicated by the dotted arcuate direction arrow of Figure 7, this tends to urge the piston 82 in the direction indicated by the solid arrow thereon and accordingly pressure will be built up in the compartment 86, the movement of fluid from the compartment 86 through the passage portion 100 being prevented by the one-way valve assembly 102. The building up of the pressure in compartment 86 in effect cushions the braking action of the track skate, and eventually the frictional engagement of the friction surface of the track skate with the outer surface of the wedge assembly will slow down a free rolling railway car disposed on the track skate.

In order to relieve the pressure built up in compartment 86, the wall 90 has extending transversely therethrough between the compartments 86 and 88 a second passage portion 106, see Figure 7, which has extending transversely therethrough a bore portion 108, see Figure 8, receiving therein transversely apertured valve element 110 which incorporates an integral vertically extending shaft portion 112, see Figure 8, extending through a vertical bore portion 114 in the housing member, terminating in an upper cap portion 116. The rod member 112 incorporates an intermediate flange portion 118 in engagement with one end of a compression spring 120, the other end of which being in engagement with a lower portion of the bore 114. Compression spring 120 tends to urge the valve element 110 out of alignment with the aperture portion 106, however, when the valve element 110 is depressed, by applying external pressure on the cap portion 116, communication between the compartments 86 and 88 will be permitted, and thus pressure built up in compartment 86 will be equalized by permitting the relief of such pressure in the compartment 88. As indicated at 122 and 124, suitable packing nuts are circumposed about the piston rod and shaft portion 112 for preventing the accidental loss of fluid from the compartments 86 and 88.

In view of the foregoing operation of the novel hydraulic railway-track braking skate it is readily apparent and accordingly further description is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered to be illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a section of railway track, a track-skate braking assembly comprising wedge means secured in longitudinally extending relationship on the web of the track, and a track skate slidably retained on the crown of the track for engagement with the outer periphery of the wheel of a railway car, said skate including a hydraulic brake assembly operatively engageable with the wedge means for actuation thereby during progressive movement of the skate on the section of track and a proportionate increase of braking force being applied in relation to the distance traveled by said skate.

2. In combination with a section of railway track, a track-skate braking assembly comprising wedge means secured in longitudinally extending relationship on the web of the track, and a track skate slidably retained on the crown of the track for engagement with the outer periphery of the wheel of a railway car, said skate including a hydraulic brake assembly operatively engageable with the wedge means for actuation thereby during progressive movement of the skate on the section of track and a proportionate increase of braking force being applied in relation to the distance traveled by said skate, said wedge means comprising an elongated tapered plate uniformly tapered from end-to-end and secured adjacent the web of the section of track, said tapered plate including a spring-urged pivoted end plate portion facilitating engagement of the skate on said tapered portion of the wedge means.

3. In combination with a section of railway track, a track-skate braking assembly comprising wedge means secured in longitudinally extending relationship on the web of the track, and a track skate slidably retained on the crown of the track for engagement with the outer periphery of the wheel of a railway car, said skate including a hydraulic brake assembly operatively engageable with the wedge means for actuation thereby during progressive movement of the skate on the section of track and a proportionate increase of braking force being applied in relation to the distance traveled by said skate, said skate comprising a body member incorporating an arcuate verti cal ramp portion for receiving the wheel of a railroad car thereon, the hydraulic brake assembly comprising a horizontally pivotal brake shoe on the body member for displacement by contacting the wedge means during movement of the skate on the track section, said body member including a housing portion incorporating a pair of spaced compartments defined by an intermediate partition wall, a bore portion in the partition wall between said compartments, a piston reciprocably received in said bore portion, piston rods secured at one end to said piston, the other end of said piston rod being pivotally connected to the brake shoe for movement therewith as the brake shoe engages the wedge means, a compression spring in engagement with the piston urging the brake shoe toward the web portion of the Web section for clampingly engaging the same, said compartments including a one-way valve means therebetween permitting fluid movement between the compartments when the brake shoe is urged toward the web of the track section, movement of the brake shoe in an opposite direction being resisted by a fluid pressure build-up in one of the compartments, means between said compartments neutralizing the fluid pressure therebetween, and means on the body member in engagement with the brake shoe for retaining the same out of engagement with the web of the track section.

4. In combination with a section of railway track, a track-skate braking assembly comprising wedge means secured in longitudinally extending relationship on the web of the track, and a track skate slidably retained on the crown of the track for engagement with the outer periphery of the wheel of a railway car, said skate including a hydraulic brake assembly operatively engageable with the wedge means for actuation thereby during progressive movement of the skate on the section of track and a proportionate increase of braking force being applied in relation to the distance traveled by said skate, said skate comprising a body member incorporating an arcuate vertical ramp portion for receiving the wheel of a railroad car thereon, the hydraulic brake assembly comprising a horizontally pivotal brake shoe on the body member for displacement by contacting the wedge means during movement of the skate on the track section, said body member including a housing portion incorporating a pair of spaced compartments defined by an intermediate partition wall, a bore portion in the partition wall between said compartments, a piston reciprocably received in said bore portion, piston rods secured at one end of said piston, the other end of said piston rod being pivotally connected to the brake shoe for movement therewith as the brake shoe engages the wedge means, a compression spring in engagement with the piston urging the brake shoe toward the Web portion of the web section for clampingly engaging the same, said compartments including a one-way valve means therebetween permitting fluid movement between the compartments when the brake shoe is urged toward the web of the track section, movement of the brake shoe in an opposite direction being resisted by a fluid pressure buildup in one of the compartments, means between said compartments neutralizing the fluid pressure therebetween, and means on the body member in engagement with the brake shoe for retaining the same out of engagement with the web of the track section, said wedge means comprising an elongated tapered plate uniformly tapered from end-toend and secured adjacent the web of the section of track, said tapered plate including a spring-urged pivoted end plate portion facilitating engagement of the skate on said tapered portion of the wedge means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,310 Metzger et al Dec. 31, 1912 1,641,178 Little Sept. 6, 1927 2,510,954 Brothers et al. June 13, 1950 

